Kinane shrugs off rumours with treble
If he felt under any pressure then he certainly didn’t show it and proceeded to steal the show with a fine treble.
Day Of The Cat may not be one of the Ballydoyle juvenile stars, but those who forced him from 4-6 to 1-2 didn’t have too may worries in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, as he began the Kinane burst.
Kinane produced the colt to lead inside the furlong pole and only had to push him out in the closing stages to beat Blue Crush.
He gave Declan Gillespie’s Key To The Kingdom the perfect drive to land the Tipperary Town and District Shopkeepers’ Handicap.
Gillespie has long maintained his charge has to be held up for a late surge and Kinane carried that tactic out to the letter.
Avec Plaisir got a dream run through on the inside to lead a furlong down, but Kinane came sweeping through to put Key To The Kingdom’s head in front in the last fifty yards. “That’s why he’s number one”, exclaimed Gillespie.
The treble was completed in the stewards’ room when Austin Leahy’s Flying Boat was awarded the Tipperary Town and District Professionals’ Handicap.
Flying Boat got a dream run up the inside early in the straight and hit the front over a furlong down.
Tigim soon challenged, but the head-on showed him clearly leaning in on Flying Boat, before taking her ground close home. Tigim won by a length but the situation was exacerbated by the fact rider, Michael Hussey, had his whip in his right hand when the battle began to rage.
It was an open-and-shut case and no surprise when the placings were reversed. Hussey was found guilty of carless riding and suspended for three days.
Kinane now enjoys a clear lead in the jockeys’ championship, 32-29, over Johnny Murtagh.
The Eoin Griffin trained Patrizio put up a fine performance, considering a less than ideal preparation, when taking the Co-Op Hardware and Supermarket Novice Hurdle. Explained Griffin: “After he won the last day (Clonmel, June 5) he got a bit of a knock. It was only a cut and we put a poultice on it.
“But he suffered a reaction and has only been ridden out for the last five days.”
Barry Geraghty sent Patrizio ahead off the home turn, but was quickly followed through by market rival, Just In Debt.
The pair raced to the last together, but Patrizio was much quicker away from the obstacle and soon in total control.
“He will now head straight to Galway”, revealed Griffin.
“He is likely to go for a two and a half mile novice on the Thursday, but will also get an entry in the Dawn Milk Hurdle (two miles and five, Saturday).”
Tommy Stack’s Beucaire was best for money in the ring, in the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Maiden, and did the business under a powerful Wayne Lordan drive.
The well-bred daughter of Entrepreneur hadn’t the best of draws, but Lordan had her away like a shot and in front after less than two furlongs Beucaire made the rest, with Lordan saving plenty to resist Beautiful Hill in the closing stages. "She will go for a Listed race next”, reported Stack.
Tim Doyle’s Kalani Star landed some tasty wagers, 4-1 to 5-2, when taking the Tipperary Town and District Traders’ Maiden.
In doing so the Ashkalani gelding deprived Kinane of a four-timer.
The maestro pushed Luggala ahead with over a furlong to go, but Seamus Heffernan had that covered and Kalani Star soon stretched past to score easing away.
“He’s a smashing horse, very laid-back”, said Doyle.
“Seamus likes him and thinks he will go and do more.”
Derek O’Connor produced a typically polished performance to guide heavily backed favourite Rackard to success in the Bumper, bringing him with a sustained effort in the straight to master Sandy Owen and Macs Joy.
Scalado, far from neglected in the market, led between the final two flights to easily win a moderate Publicans and Restaruants Maiden Hurdle.
